Category Archives: Ethnoecology

The camels are highly adapted to the harsh and hostile climates of the sphere. The 3 important adaptation strategies are the tools in such climates, i.e. 1. depending for food based on plants which are hardy, dry and bitter/salty (usually avoid by other livestock. 2. Long walking ability to reach to the places where food is available. 3. Body physiology to cope with the burning temperature with the scarcity of water.

They are adapted to the sand dunes, the hum like dune

Camels in the driest part of the world

Dipterygium glaucum الصفروی

Dipterygium glaucum الصفروی

Series of Camel ice-cream plants species is continuous process, the outcome of desert walks

Being an ethnoecologist and ethnobotanist, I have started characterization, documentation and reporting about the plants species which are liked as icecream by the camels. You can read about the series as 1, 2, 3 in the links below.

This Article is About Dipterygium glaucum الصفروی

This plant is also liked by camels very much. The plant has rich nutritional value as well as used as a herbal source of medicine. The camel love the plant especially when it is in flowering and seeding stages. I think they like it in these stages because of the aroma and the high protein contents of flowers and seeds respectively. The plants is very strong, powerful to resist the winds of the desert. The multiple branches make it stronger and a source of protection for different insects and reptiles.

I have explored the camel desirability towards this plant during my desert exploration walks. Some ethnoveterinarian suggest this plant in flowering stage as a good source of revitalizing camel body. When the seed is matured, the camel like it even more.

Ethnoherbal Role of the Plant

The tiny flowers of the plants work as a strong laxative agent. The shoots with flowers is a source of flashing the digestive system of the livestock as well as human being. It is also given to camels suffering weakness. and lower desire to food.

The Plant is a Heaven for Bees and other Fauna

The plant has very attractive flowers with yellow color and strong smell, making it very attractive for the wasps, bees and other insects. The multiple branches and dense cover, it is an attraction for the reptiles so they can hide and feel safe.

The Desert Precious Biodiversity is Depleting

Unfortunately, many precious desert plants including this one, are depleting, because of many reasons. This plant really need to be well studies, documented and identify the status and the risk factors. Such plants can ensure sustainable camel and other livestock production in the desert ecosystem.

Tribulus is resilient, beautiful and important flora of the desert.

It is resilient to the hardiness of the climate and weather of the desert

Having medicinal value, directly and indirectly (use as a herb also indirectly through camel urine and milk)

it is perineal plant but sprouts in spring (March and April after rains)

Very much liked by the camel, especially fresh sprouted with blossom in the spring after rains, therefore known as camel ice-cream species

Not only valued as camel food and ethnomedicine but tribulus is home to precious fauna of the Desert

Many types of fauna live inside and around the Tribulus plant

They either depend upon the nectar, or florescence or eat the leaves

Some makes burrows and home inside the plant to make it habitat

They are making a rich niche and ecosystem

They fabricate a very useful and efficient biological control

They have beautiful flowers and seeds

.The yellow flowers make it very attractive in the desert. It attracts the insects and birds from a far distance. The aroma of the nectar is also very appealing for the bees and wasps. The seeds are coated in a compound structure enriched with hair to maintain the moisture of the structure.

The pest of the plant

In the month of the February, they are very much affected by the small black insects like lice. The insects rely on the florescence for food and shelter. They drink the moisture and juice of the pedestal of the flowers.

Then the other factors, like other good insects, wind storm, birds and rain help the tribunals to get rid of the lice.

Here are the links of the articles about the camel ice-cream species in the link below.

Today (10/1/2019), I started a trial of the camel manure compost. I shall wait for 4 months and will open after that period. Then, we shall see the physical appearance, smell, texture etc.

I made a ditch in the desert, spread plastic sheet, put manure on it and covered it. Later on covered with sand to remove the air and press it tightly. We dumped the manure with the sand. Now waiting for 4 months. The 2 blocks on both borders will indicate us the area where it was dumped.

I’m not an expert in this area, please always support me with your suggestions and comments. After we have successful compost, we shall make lab analysis.

Desert is not a hell of sand but a beautiful paradise for a wide and diverse floral and faunal biodiversity. Here, I share some pictures of the desert. I took these pictures in the different time period during my desert exploration walk.

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You can see different views of the desert in the pictures in the above slideshow.

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Here you can see different plants of the desert, some with the fruits. You can see the steps of the Gazal in one picture. I think Ghazal eats Calitropis (Akk) leaves, please correct me if someone really knows.

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Here in the above slideshow, you can see different beautiful plants. These plants are highly palatable and the camel-like it very much.

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Different flowers with shining beauty in the sand. They provide a fascinating view of the desert. Such flowers are attraction and source of nectar to very tine creatures (see in the next slideshow).

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Beautiful small insects can be seen in the flowers and on the seed as well.

The specialized roots of the desert flora. See the Prosopis tree is resisting to the desert conditions with the support of its strong roots.

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Strong, multi and scattered roots. Some roots have the sponge like fiber coated on the roots to absorb and retain moisture.

The Desert explorer, this big rough and tough stick really helped me.

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And when the mother earth calls back the creatures.

Conclusion

Please love mother earth. Think positively. See the beauty and use your beautiful chamber of the brain. Do not throw rubbish in the desert, the tinny creatures suffer.